Entain chief executive Stella David said the company expects Brazil’s online gambling market to reopen in some form and plans to return with Sportingbet. She said the brand would be positioned for a sports-only market, while Entain would take a cautious approach to investment; Brazil NGR fell 36% year on year in Q3.
Entain’s return plans depend on how Brazil’s market reopens and the rules that apply.
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Entain reported first-half net gaming revenue of £2.55 billion, up 7% for the six months to the end of June, as underlying EBITDA fell 2% to £479.3 million. The company said World Cup engagement helped offset higher UK gambling taxes, and it reiterated full-year guidance for online revenue growth of 5% to 7%.
It was reported that Entain’s UK and Ireland online net gaming revenue rose in H1 2026 despite higher gambling taxes. Chief executive Stella David said the company expected growth and optimisation efforts to support future cash generation.
Reportedly, Sportradar shares fell 6.93% to $14.38 in the week to 17 July 2026, as litigation notices kept the securities case in view. Entain rose 1.45% and Rank gained 1.38%, while Playtech and Flutter also declined.
Entain said the UK Machine Games Duty rate on machines with a stake of at least £1 will rise from 20% to 25% on 1 April 2027. The group estimates an annual cost of about £25m for its UK&I Retail division before mitigation, while keeping its 2026 guidance unchanged and aiming to offset the impact by the end of 2028.
Entain has estimated an additional annual cost of about £25m from changes to UK gambling taxation, the company said in a notice published through the London Stock Exchange's RNS service. The estimate covers the group's UK&I Retail division, which includes its shop operations in the UK and Ireland, and was made before any mitigation measures. Entain said its guidance for 2026, issued on 15 October, is unchanged.
Entain maintained its full-year 2026 guidance after reporting a 2% rise in third-quarter group net gaming revenue, the company said. Online NGR increased 3% year on year in the three months to 30 September, while the company forecast full-year online growth of 4% to 6% on a constant-currency basis. It kept underlying EBITDA guidance, excluding parent fees, at £910m to £960m, with results expected at the lower end.